John G. Paton: An Autobiography

Finished the book a few days ago on my way to Penzance with a Starbucks coffee and a window seat (by the way, first time to England in two years…yep, safe to say I live a sheltered life). It was a 6 hour train journey so a perfect reading environment for a book that had to be finished.

Out of the whole book, the last 10 chapters really gripped me – John went through some of the fruit that had come out of his life in the New Hebrides. I was on the verge, it was dumbfounding. How can one man alone cause so much change within a cannibal community? He makes sure we know he wasn’t alone – John constantly points to God.

Father, our times are in Thy hand.

At the close of the book, John’s God became their God. These people cherished the Gospel more than I ever have. One girl in the book, Lamu, challenged me more than anyone else. John wrote this of her,

It has often struck me, when relating these events, to press this question on the many young people, the highly privileged white brothers and sisters of Lamu, Did you ever lose one hour of sleep or a single meal in thinking of your soul, your God, the claims of Jesus and your Eternal Destiny?

There are so many “little” stories of God’s grace that I could talk about – but that’s what the book is there for. God is good! All the time!